Apparatus for cleaning automotive power plants



April 15, 1930. l. J. BEVINS 1,754,708

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING AUTOMOTIVE POWER PLANTS Filed April 5, 1926INVENTOI? .3 Eavma B Y m P. W

ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 15, 1930 PATENT oFFLoE;

IRA 1 we or m eq mews nrrn mrns non CLEARING AUTQMOTIVE rowan PLANTSApplication filed April 5,

This invention relates to the cleaning of internal combustion engines,and more especial ly to apparatus for cleaning automotive power plants.

It is the purpose of this invention to provide means whereby theinternal parts of an automobile engine, transmission and gears maybecleansed and whereby the cleaning fluid maybe thoroughly purged fromthe engine, transmission, or gears before lubricant is again introducedQIn cleansing automotive machinery, the time available is? usuallylimited, and it is often impossible to dismantle and remove the variousparts. On the other hand, automotive machinery usually operates at highspeed, and especially requires the benefit of the maximum lubricatingqualities of the lubricant employed, anda complete removal of cleansingfluid from the lubricant passageways.

The herein disclosed invention permits the use of any desiredcleansingmaterial or fluid, provides for its use and application to theparts to be cleansed, and especially provides for, its complete removal,together with any sediment or other material which may have been washedfrom the parts. As is essential in systems which are to be used by theaverage automotive operator or mechanic, it s simple, easily applied,requires no special operating knowledge, and can be practiced with aminimum removal of automobile parts; while the specific apparatusdescribed and specifically claimed in this application is particularlyadapted for use under existing conditions, and with a minimum of delayand inconvenience to the car owner and operator. The attached drawingwillserve to show embodiments invention and to illustrate tlieirapplication to a well known form of automobilepower plant, it beingunderstood that other applications and modifica- I tions'arecontemplated with other pa rtsan d forms of power plant well known tothose skilled in the art.

Fig. l 'is side elevation of my improved form of nozzle, and illustratescertain details f my new easemen s for le s w th 1926, Serial No.99,788.

fluid supply lines terminating in controlling devices, chucks or valves.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the nozzle shown in Fig. 1, a triggervalve being indicat-' edat the fluid line terminus. i

Fig. 3 illustrates the application, of my invention to one type ofsplash trough supplied for engine lubrication.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section of Fig. 3, taken on line 41- 1 of Fig.3'.

Fig. 5 serves to show a further application of invention to thecleansing of pockets in the engine casing, and more specifically to t dho es Fig. 6 shows in partial cross section, an

engine timer and the application ofmy noz zle and method to the cleaningthereof.

n he ra gs, p r icu a y in ig an 2, I have illustrated my improved formof nozzle for use in the application of a cleansing uid 0 er i Par s ofan utom b le m ism and to, a s n r m ving s d ment d cleansing fluidfrom said parts, while inFigs. 3, 4:, 5 and 6, I have shown certainparts of an automobile with my improved nozzle in place for the abovepurpose, and it is as t a y ev y ls be mp b tor cleansing andlubricating various ether parts of an automotive engine, not'shown.Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 ot'tlie drawing, designatesan elongated nozzle, which maybe secured b a threaded connection, to asuitable hosepr conduit 64. Nozzle fiO ispreferably curved as at 60*,such 'ciirve being preferably tangent to the straight section orsections arms nozzle ad jac'ent theconnection portion 62?.' theembodiment of the invention shown in Figs. '1 and 2, the curved section6" is extended into a second section 60?, tangent aims firsh wliile thenozzle is terminated preferably a 'section 60? of lesser ourvature'oi'substantially straighflso to adapt particularly" for reaching the bottontor' a substantial depth, into constricted places, as the stud hole (a?in the cylinder casting ,5 of an engine, as shown in Fig. 5; or theinterior mechanism of a timer, as shown in Fig. 6.

Iim rs su a hat hown in F1? 6 9 1 m nly ns st of a he l 1.0.1 m nd d wth an oiling opening 103, an insulated ring 105, mounting contacts 106,over which ring and contacts, the roller 107 is driven by the arm 108,secured to the timer shaft 109. This type of timer is mounted on anextension 111 of the engine crankcase 112, near the bottom and at thefront of the crankcase, so that it is exposed to dirt, water, and dirtyoil, and requires cleaning at frequent intervals. My improved nozzleshown is particularly adapted for cleaning and drying such timers,without their being removed from the engine.

In the use of my device for lubricating and cleaning timers of thecharacter shown in Fig. 6, it will be seen that a cleaning fluid may beforced through the hose or conduit 64* from some suitable source ofsupply, not shown, into the nozzle 60. The operator may then place thesection 00 of the nozzle 60, into the oiling opening 1030f the timer,and in this way, the oil or other cleaning fluid will flow into thetimer and thereby clean the different parts within the shell of thetimer. As an aid to the operation of my device, the starter of theengine may be employed to slowly rotate the timer parts, and further aidthe cleaning of the different parts of the mechanism undergoingtreatment.

Afterthepartshavebeenthoroughlycleaned in the above manner, the hose orconduit 64 may be disconnected from the cleaning fluid supply, andconnected to a tank or other compressed air container, not shown, forthe purpose of introducing air under pressure into the part beingcleaned and lubricated. The air will flow from the source of supply,into the hose 64, and thence through the nozzle 60. At this point, theoperator may again insert the nozzle 60 into the oiling opening 103 ofthe shell 101 of the timer, thus permitting a discharge of air from thenozzle, into the timer, for thoroughly cleansing the parts of sedimentand dirt loosened by the cleansing fluid previously introduced. Thisremoves the cleaning fluid completely and thoroughly drains the timer.The starter of the engine may again be employed to slowly rotate theparts and further aid the cleansing and drying operation. The parts thuscleaned and drled are then read to receive some suitable lubricant,without anger of the latter being mixed with dirt or cleaning oil.

In cases where a ready source of compressed air or other cleaning gas isavailable at the usual hose 64, terminating in an automatic valve orchuck 120, as indicated in the dotted lines in Fig. 1, I prefer to use amodified hose connection 62, and to mount thereabove, a finger piece121, enabling the opera tor to rest the chuck 120 in the palm of thehand, and gripping the fingers over piece 121 to direct the ct, and atthe same time, control the air supply, since pressing a fitting intosuch chucks commonly opens the valve therein, while withdrawal cuts offflow. Where the air hose terminates in a trigger valve 130, as indicatedby the dotted lines in Fig. 2, however, the finger piece 121 ispreferably omit-ted, and the connection 62 screwed directly into thevalve, as shown. Where other sources of air are temporarily unavailable,it has been found practical to utilize a tire, or tires of the vehicle,as such air supply, it being understood that it is preferable to useaspare tire when the motor vehicle is so equipped.

By ordinary methods, it is practically impossible to remove sediment andcleansing fluid from troughs 20 and similar catch basins in the lowerportion of the main oil reservoir of an engine, thus, when new lubricantis introduced into the engine, it becomes mixed with cleaning fluid anddirt, which, upon operation of the engine, is immediately thrown overthe engine parts, thereby nullifying such cleaning as has beenaccomplished.

A special feature of my improved apparatus is the provision forevacuating these catch pockets or troughs 20. This is accomplished inthe following simple manner by the use of my special nozzle or jet 60.As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, when a stud bolt 21, 23, such as one of thosesecuring the usual crankcase bottom plate 18, is removed, the troughs 20may then be thoroughly blown out by the jet of air issuing from nozzle60. It will be seen from these Figures 3 and 4, that my improved nozzle,when inserted through the hole thus provided, will extend over and dipinto the troughs 20, thereby insuring a complete contact of the air orcleansing fluid with all parts of the trough, and effecting a thoroughcleaning and drying operation.

It will be noted that the apparatus is simple, easy of application,inexpensive, readily transportable in the tool space of the motor car,adapted to clean the most inaccessible parts with a minimum ofdismantling, and operable by the most inexpert. The improvementseflected by this invention can be particularly appreciated whenconsideration is given to the lubricating difficulties so prevalent inautomobile operation, and the fact that removal of sediment andcleansing fluids, as disclosed in this application, will aid in theelimination of many such difliculties.

From the foregoing it is believed that the construction, operation andadvantages of the invention may be readily understood, and I am awarethat various changes may be made in the details disclosed, withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention, as expressed in the claim.

I claim In a jet nozzle, a hose bibb, a substantially rigid tubeextending from the end of said bibb, said bibb having a portion oflesser diameter than its main body to which the fluid conductor hose mabe attached and a central bore extending t erethrough, said central boreserving as a fluid duct to and as a mounting for said tube, said rigidtube having a straight portion adjacent its attachment to said bibh anoutwardly curved portion at the end of said straight portion, a reversecurved portion extending from said outwardly curved portion and aterminal portion rela- 10 tively shorter than any of the aforesaidportions and angularly offset from the common plane of said curvedportions.-

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand at Chicago, Illinois,this 24th day of March, 1926.

IRA J. BEVINS.

